Most computer graphic systems operate by displaying images on a pixel by pixel basis, often using a frame store to store the image, with the frame store also working on a pixel by pixel basis. Common display systems are capable of displaying 1280 lines.times.1024 pixels=1,310,720 pixels. As a result of pixel by pixel operation, it is common to store images on a pixel basis, resulting in large image files.
Recently, a system has been proposed which is capable of the real time rendering of graphic objects without the use of a frame store. That system is disclosed in Australian Patent Application No. 38251/93 (Attorney Ref: (RTO7)(202788)) entitled "A Real-Time Object Based Graphics System", claiming priority from Australian Provisional Patent No. PL 2147 filed 29 Apr. 1992, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by cross-reference, and proposes a data structure called Quadratic Polynomial Fragments (QPF's), that enables a rasterised image to be processed rapidly, permitting real-time operation. The QPF's can be generated from standard spline based graphic image data using the methods disclosed in Australian Patent Application No. 38239/93 (Attorney Ref:(RTO9)(203 174)) entitled "Bezier Spline to Quadratic Polynomial Fragment Conversion" claiming priority from Australian Provisional Patent Application No. PL 2149, filed 29 Apr. 1992 the contents of which are hereby incorporated by cross-reference.
However, it is desirable that non-spline based images be convened to QPF's thereby enabling photographically generated and/or scanned images to be economically stored, thereby ameliorating the need for large capacity fast memory, and reproduced in real-time.